Patient transporting device and stabilizing mechanism therefor



L. W. HEIDEN June 21, 1960 PATIENT TRANSPORTING DEVICE AND STABILIZINGMECHANISM THEREFOR Filed March 3, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

Lou/s WHE/DEN A T TORNEYS June 21, 1960 L. w. HEIDEN 2,941,626

PATIENT TRANSPORTING DEVICE AND STABILIZING MECHANISM THEREFOR FiledMarch 5, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A T TbRNE Y5 United Sttes Patent PATIENTTRANSPORTING DEVICE AND STABILIZING MECHANISM THEREFOR Louis W. Heiden,Lutheran Hospitals and Home Society, Hot Springs, S. Dak.

Filed Mar. 3, 19'59, Ser. No. 796,852

7 Claims. (Cl. 188-5) My invention relates generally to wheel-equippedpatient elevating devicesfor use in hospitals and the hire,

and more particularly to novel means for securely stabi-j lizing andimmobilizing such devices whenpatients are beingplacedthereon and/ orremoved therefrom.

The primary object of my invention is the provision of a device of theclass above described wherein novel manually controlled floor-engagingfeet may with a min-' imum of force be caused to engage the floorsurface with, sufficient force to securely immobilize thewheel-equrppedframe during placement of patients thereon or remove of patientstherefrom. a

scribed wherein the feet and cups carried thereby aremounted for raisingand lowering movements, the arrangement of said cups with respect tosaid feet being such that during lowering, floor-engaging movementsthereof air is automatically excluded from the suction cups to encouragesealing engagement thereof with the floor.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a device of theclass immediately above described wherein novel means is provided forautomatically permitting the introduction of air into the cups uponinitial raising movements of the feet, whereby to effectively break thesealing engagement of the base of the suction cups with the floor.

A still further and important object of my invention is the provision ofa device of the class described which incorporates a minimum of workingparts, which is rugged and durable in construction, easy and completelysafe in its operation, and relatively inexpensive to produce.

2,941,626 Patented June 21, 1960 Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional viewas seen substan- 1 tially from the line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

Referring with greater particularity to the drawings, the numeral 1indicates in its entirety an elongated frame rendered mobile, preferablyand as shown through the use of four conventional caster Wheels 2. Theprimary frame member is, as shown particularly in Figs. 1 and 6,'

made up of a U-shaped tubular pipe 3, the longitudinally extendedopposite side portions 4 of which are securely tied together bytransverse front and rear frame mem bers 5 and 6 respectively. As shownparticularly in I Fig. 2, the caster wheels 2 are secured to stub legs 7on respectively of said pallet 11.

the opposite ends of transverse intermediate frame members 8 underlyingand secured to the longitudinal frame members 3, preferably inwardly ofthe opposite ends of the frame member 1 so as to remove same from thefeet of an operator pushing against either of said ends.

Shown as being rigidly secured to and. projecting in opposite directionsfrom the intermediate portions of the transverse frame members 5, 6 arefront and rear sup-' porting posts 9 and 10 respectively which,preferably and as shown, are tubular in form. A patient supportingpallet 11 is mounted for vertical raising and lowering movements withrespect to the mounting posts 9, 10, by means of substantially identicalmounting brackets 12 and 13 rigidly secured to the front and rearportions The brackets 12, 13, as shown particularly in Fig. 8, comprisea pair of laterally spaced side plate elements 14, 15, which are rigidlysecured together at their inner ends 16 where they aresecuredrespectively to the front and rear ends of the pallet 11 and arebifurcated or split at their outer ends 17 to provide expanding jaws 18.As shown particularly in Fig. 1, the bifurcated outer end portions ofthe mountingbrackets 12, 13 are formed to define relatively long upperjaw elements 19 and relatively shorter lower jaw elements 20 each ofwhich is .adapted to be snugly slidably received in opposed verticallyextended slots 21, 22, respectively in the front and rear mounting posts9, 10 respectively. In order to securely retain the upper jaw elements19 within their respective tubular mounting posts 9, 10, whilepermitting of vertical movements of the former with respect to thelatter, said upper The above and still further objects of my inventionjaw elements, as shown particularly in Fig. 7, are provided withlaterally projecting lug portions 23. It should be here pointed out thatthe slots 21, 22 extend to the upper ends of their respective mountingposts so as to facilitate insertion of the enlarged lug-equipped freeends of the upper jaw elements 19 thereinto. For the purpose ofexpanding the split outer ends 17 to cause relatively snug engagement ofthe upper and lower jaw elements 19, 20 with opposite sides of theirrespective slots 21, 22, I provide vertically spaced set screws 24 Fig.1 is a view in side elevation of my novel structure, some parts beingbroken away and some parts shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a view in end elevation;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view in vertical section as seensubstantially from the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view of the structure of Fig. 3 but showing adifferent arrangement of some of the parts thereof;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view in end elevation as seen substantially fromthe line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a view in horizontal section as seen substantiallyfrom theline 6-6 of Fig. 1;

Seen substantially from the lin'e7-7 of Fig. l; V

' ments by a guide rod identified by the numeral 32. As

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view as which extendtransversely through the side plate 15 and abut against the side plate14.

It will be seen that each of the brackets 12, 13 is provided withpulleys 25 which are journaled on horizontal axes 26 between the sideplates elements 14, 15, in a manner to project a peripheral portionthereof through the slots 21, 22 into the interior of the tubularmounting posts 9, 10. For the purpose of imparting vertical raising andlowering movements to the pallet 11, I provide a conventional fluidpressure operated pump 27 having an operating handle 28 and secured toand projecting generally rearwardly from the mounting post 10. The pump27 includes a storage chamber 29, a cylinder 30 and a piston or ram 31which is guided in its vertical moveshown particularly in Fig. 2, arope, cable or the like 33 is secured at one end to a foot 34 rigidlysecured to and carriedv by the lower end of the ram 3 1. The cable 33extends upwardly over a pulley 35 mounted forrotation,

on a horizontal axis within a housing 36, in turn rigidly secured to theupper end of mounting post 10. From the pulley 35, the cable 33 projectsthrough an opening, not. shown, through the upper end of themountingpost llb and into the interior thereof, finally being rigidlyse-- lower end thereof, by means not shown, and at its front.

end 39 is secured within the tubular mounting post 9. adjacent its upperend, by means not shown. It will be noted that intermediate its frontand rear ends 39, 38, the cable 37 is entrained under the pulley 25.associated with the front mounting bracket 12 and over the pulley 25associated with the rear mounting bracket 13.

At this point I wish to stress that rocking movements of the pallet 11during the placement of patients upon and removal of patients therefromare practically eliminated by the snug engagement of the verticallyspaced jaw elements 19, 20 with the opposite sides of the slots 21, 22in which they are mounted, such adjustments being achieved, as abovepointed out, through the set screws 24. Obviously-as wear between thejaw elements 19, 20 with opposite sides of the slots 21, 22 causesundesirable slack, same may be eliminated by readjustment of the setscrews 24.

Telescopic-ally received within the open lower end portions of the frontand rear tubular mounting posts 9, for vertical movements toward andaway from engagement with the floor are shoes 41, the lower ends ofwhich define downwardly opening sockets 42 for the loose reception ofthe upwardly extended reduced stem portions 43 of rubber suction cups44. flared annular skirts of the suction cups 44 are identified by thenumeral 45. Mounting the suction cups 44 for limited vertical movementsof the stem portions 43 thereof within their respective sockets 42 aremounting pins 46 which extend loosely axially through the stem portions43. At their lower ends, the mounting pins 46 have radially enlargedheads 47 which positively limit downward movement of the suction cups 44with respect to the shoes 41, the arrangement of the pertinent parts insuch position being illustrated by Fig. 4. It will be there noted thatfree passage of air is permitted between the stem portions 43 and theadjacent sides and top of their cooperating sockets 42 as well as to theinterior of the suction skirt .5, circumferentially spacedlongitudinally extended slots 43 in the peripheral surface of themounting pins 46 being provided for this purpose. The precise importanceof this feature will be hereinafter explained in detail.

At their upper ends, the mounting pins 46 have screw threaded engagementwith the plug 49 forming the upper walls of the sockets 42. Preferablyand as shown, set screws 50 are provided to positively lock the mountingpins 45 in a desired set position.

For the purpose of simultaneously imparting raising and loweringrndvernents to the shoes 41, I provide a rock shaft 51 extending throughone of the longitudinally extended side portions 4 of the frame 1.Secured to opposite ends of the rock shaft 51 exteriorly of the frontand rear ends of the tubular frame member 4 in which it is mounted arecrank arms 52 having links 53 pivotally secured to their outer ends, asindicated at 54. Rigidlysecured to the shoes 41 and projecting laterallyoutwardly through vertically extended slots 55 in the mounting posts 9,10 are mounting tongues 56. The lower end of the The radially outwardlylink 53 associated with the rear mounting post 10 is pivv 1 otallysecured on a horizontal axis, as at 57, to the extended end of theadjacent mounting tongue 5'6. However, the lower end of the link 53associated with the .4 front mounting post 9 is pivotally secured on ahorizon: tal axis, as at 58, to the undersurface of a latch hook 59associated with and projecting laterally from the lower end portion of avertically disposed latch lever 60 which, in turn, is pivotally securedon a horizontal axis to the extended end of the adjacent mounting tongue56, as indicated at 61. To facilitate imparting of rocking movements tothe latch lever 6, I provide a pedal 62 for engagement with the foot ofan operator and having raised portions 63 and 64 at its front and rearends.

Yielding means in the nature of a coil tension spring 65 is interposedbetween the extended end of one of the I crank arms 52, as indicated at66, and a vertically spaced effect a sealing engagement therebetween andthe floor.

It will be noted that the. downward force required to effect suchsealing operation of necessity causes engagement of the upper portion ofthe stem portions'43 of the cups 44 with the upper surfaces of theircooperating sockets -42, annularly of the mounting pins 46 to positivelypreclude the passage of air from atmosphere to the floor grippingundersurface of the cups 44 through the slots 48' of the mounting pins46. I a

After a patient has been safely placed upon the pallet 11 or removedtherefrom, and one desires to impart mobility to the frame 1, theoperator places his foot in engagement with the pedal 62, pressing samedownwardly and forwardly thereon to rock the latch lever'60 and toremove the latch hook 59 carried thereby laterally outwardly of thestrike 68. The coil tension spring 65 then simultaneously lifts thecrank arms 5'2 and the links 53 g and shoes 41 associated therewithvertically away from engagement with the floor. Initial upward movementsof the shoes 41 cause relative vertical movements between the suctioncups 44 and their cooperating shoes 41 (see Fig. 4), thereby permittingpassage of air into the sockets 42 and downwardly through the slots 48associated with the mounting pins 46, thereby breaking the sealingengagement of the shoes 41 with the floor, see particularly Figs. 1 and4.

My invention has been thoroughly tested and found to be completelysatisfactory for the accomplishment ofthe above objects, and while Ihave shown a preferred embodiment thereof, I wish it to be understoodthat same maybe capable of modification without departure from the scopeand spirit of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a device of the class described, a wheeled frame,

a shoe mounted in said frame for vertical movements toward and away fromengagement with the floor, the lower end portion of said shoe defining adownwardly opening socket, an elastic suction cup carried by said'shoeand having a reduced upper stem portion loosely received in said socket,means mounting said suction cup for limited socket, said means includinga mounting pin extending between said shoe and said cup axially thereofand defining an air passage between the undersurface of said cup and theupper surface of said stem, means for imparting lowering movements tosaid shoe whereby to force said suction cup into engagement with thefloor with sufficient force to cause sealing engagement of said stemportion with the upper surface of the socket, and means for posi: tivelylocking said shoe in the lowered position.

4. The structure defined in claim 3 in which said means 1 for positivelylocking said shoe in said depressed condition comprises a strike on thepost and a cooperating latch element carried by said shoe and mountedfor swinging movements on a horizontal axis toward and away fromengagement with said strike.

5. In a device of the class described, a wheeled frame including a pairof longitudinally spaced supporting posts having tubular lower open endportions, a pair of shoes one each telescopically slidably received inthe lower open end portions of said supporting posts for movementstoward and away from engagement with the floor, the lower end portionsof said shoes defining downwardly opening sockets, elastic suction cupscarried by each of said shoes and each thereof having reduced upper stemportions loosely received in said sockets, means mounting said suctioncups for limited vertical movements of the stem portions thereof intheir respective sockets and guiding same in said movements toward andaway from sealing engagement with the upper surfaces of said sockets,said means including mounting pins extending between said shoes and saidcups axially thereof and defining air passages between the undersurfacesof said cups and the upper surfaces of said stem portions, means forimparting common lowering movements to said shoes whereby to force saidsuction cups into engagement with the floor with sufficient force tocause sealing engagement of said stem portions with the upper surfacesof their cooperating sockets, and means for positively locking saidshoes in the lowered positions.

6. The structure defined in claim 5 in further combination with yieldingmeans for imparting common raising movements to said shoes when saidlocking means is rendered inoperative, initial raising movements of saidshoes breaking sealing engagement of said stem portions with saidsockets and permitting passage of air to said cups through saidpassages.

7. The structure defined in claim 6 in which said means for positivelylocking said shoes in said depressed condition includes a laterallyprojecting mounting tongue carried by one of said shoes and working in avertically extended slot in the lower end portion of one of saidsupporting posts, a strike on said one supporting post, and a verticallydisposed latch lever pivotally secured intermediate its ends to theoutwardly projected end portion of said tongue, the lower end of saidlatch lever defining a latch hook movable toward and away fromengagement with said strike, the upper end portion of said latch leverdefining a pedal for engagement with the foot of an operator.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS991,241

